Guide to Thailand´s Long-Term Resident Visa for Foreign SMEs and Expats

Thailand’s Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa is one of the country’s strategies to attract high-value investors, retirees, and professionals. Three years after its September 2022 rollout, the program has approved over 7,000 visas and is estimated to have injected more than THB 23 billion (approximately USD 651 million) into the economy. Recent policy discussions by the BOI is expected to broaden access to the LTR visa further to cement Thailand´s status as ASEAN´s strategic hub for international SME investments.

The Advantages of LTR Visa for Foreign SMEs and Expat Executives

Rather than navigating short-term annual permits, LTR holders enjoy a 10-year renewable visa, multiple re-entry privileges, and digital work authorization that applies to both local employment and remote contracts. Qualified professionals benefit from a flat 17 percent personal income tax rate, which is significantly below top statutory levels. Other advantages include premium services such as fast-track immigration at Bangkok’s international airports and annual, instead of quarterly reporting.

These advantages can transform the way foreign-owned SMEs plan leadership deployments. Long-tenured expatriate executives can lead Thai entities without interruption, avoiding the administrative hassle of frequent renewals.

The Four Eligibility Criteria for LTR Visa

• Wealthy Global Citizens

  
  

  • Net assets ≥ USD 1 million, with USD 500,000 committed to Thai government bonds, direct investments or real estate

  • Annual income requirement removed as of January 2025, emphasizing asset dedication over earnings​

    
    

• Wealthy Pensioners

  
  

  • Age ≥ 50 with passive annual income ≥ USD 80,000

  • If income is between USD 40,000–80,000, must invest USD 250,000 in Thai assets

    
    

• Work-From-Thailand Professionals

  
  

  • Average annual income ≥ USD 80,000 over the past two years

  • Lower-income (USD 40,000–80,000) applicants qualify with a master’s degree, relevant IP ownership, or Series A funding

  • Employer revenue threshold cut to USD 50 million and work-experience requirement eliminated in 2025​

    
    

• Highly-Skilled Professionals

  
  

  • Average annual income ≥ USD 80,000 or qualification via advanced degrees and field-specific accolades

  • Work-experience criteria removed and eligibility expanded to non-STEM and academic roles as of 2025

Application Process Overview for LTR Vsa

1. Online Submission: Applicants may submit all required documents for qualification endorsement via the official BOI portal.

2. Qualification Review (Up to 20 days): The BOI and relevant agencies will review the application. The applicant will be notified once the endorsement decision is finalized.

3. Pre-Approval (Approximately 3 days): After the endorsement, the application undergoes a final pre-approval check one more time.

4. Visa Issuance (Within 60 days of approval): The applicant may schedule an appointment at the Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate overseas or the One-Stop Service Center in Bangkok to complete the final visa issuance process.

For more information on the different visa types available for expats and their families, contact us at contact@bizwings.co

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